even your skin tone naturally

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

the last official Skin Week post is today! (tomorrow is a review & surprise for all y’all. i WILL still post on all the other skin questions you had!)

so to round off Skin Week, we’re gonna delve into how to even out your skin tone naturally!

what causes uneven skin tone?

• overproduction of melanin
• genetics
• excessive sun exposure
• hormones
• skin trauma/scarring
• inflammation/acne
• drugs

what can we do to help even out skin tone?

• raw apple cider vinegar (acv)– you all know i’m a fan of raw acv. it contains amino acids, mineral salts, and plenty of vitamins. there’s also sulfur in it, which makes it a great skin toner and an effective skin spot, age spot and acne fader. to use this method, soak a cotton ball or pad with pure, raw apple cider vinegar, and apply directly to the skin up to twice daily. it can be drying, so test it first!
• raw honey– wash your face with honey 🙂 or combine into an oatmeal scrub/mask
• chamomile – this can be used as a toner, by brewing a strong tea with a chamomile tea bag and a 1/2 cup of water. let it steep for a few hours, strain and combine the tea with a 1/2 cup of witch hazel. use after washing for natural home remedy for brightening the skin, and make sure to store it in the refrigerator.
• milk – milk can lighten your skin for a more even tone by working on melanin to lighten the skin, and helping to diminish the appearance of darker blemishes and scars.
• licorice (root) extract – it’s a great anti-inflammatory, and is great at fading skin marks and smoothing the skin.
  to use this method, mix the extract with either distilled water or green tea, and soak a soft cotton cloth in the mixture. then apply to your clean face for 15 minutes.
• lemon – as we talked about in how to heal your acne scars naturally, citric acid in lemons is a natural way to lighten and even out your skin tone. you can apply lemon juice to your clean face daily, and wash it off after letting it sit for 15-20 minutes. remember to wash it off completely before going into the sun!
• turmeric – turmeric can be taken in pill form available at you local health food or organic store, OR you can apply it directly to the skin. try this recipe: mix 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon finely ground almonds or cornmeal,
  and 2 tablespoons buttermilk. apply to your clean face and let it sit for 15-20 mins. rinse well & done!
• oatmeal – oatmeal acts as a great exfoliator. you can add some raw honey to make more of a thicker paste. apply to your clean face, and let sit for 10 minutes. then rub your face for a few minutes before rinsing off well.
• egg whites – beat an egg white and rub onto your clean skin, letting it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing well with water. you can also try this mask recipe: mix 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon raw honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons witch hazel, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. apply to your clean skin, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. rinse well & done! be sure to store in the fridge if you don’t use it all!

use these 2 to 4 weeks before giving up if you’re not seeing drastic results 🙂 natural ways can take a little longer, but will be better for your skin and your body!

have you guys tried any of these? want to? let’s hear it!

heal acne scars naturally

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

welcome back to Skin Week! i’m so pumped to have internet and post every day again, haha!

today we’re going to check out some ways to heal acne scars naturally. i still have some and use these methods to help. i hope they help you, too!

these are all natural (of course) and can be used ranging from a couple times a day, to every day, to every few days or more. and although these are natural, your facial skin can still possibly become irritated (everyone’s different!) so be sure to test first.

in alphabetical order – –

aloe vera & green tea
mix equal parts pure, organic aloe vera gel/juice into chilled green tea. apply to clean, dry skin. let sit for 15-20 minutes and rinse with cool water. this can be used 2x a day.

apple cider vinegar
on dry, clean skin, rub either full strength or a 1:4 acv:water dilution over your scars and rinse clean. you can do this up to 2x a day, but it can be drying.

baking soda scrub
mix a little baking soda with just enough water to make a paste. rub in a circular motion onto clean, wet skin for a minute or less. rinse with cool water. your face might feel a little tight after this one, so please moisturize after! you don’t want to do this more than 2-3 times a week, tops!

banana
use a banana peel to rub your scars away! you can use this a couple times a day.

egg whites
take an egg white, and apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin. let it air dry and sit for 15-mins. rinse with cool water. done! you can do this 1-2 times a week. some people do it more, but idk… you can try it!

fuller’s earth
i love this stuff. mix a spoonful or 2 with just enough water to make a paste. you can use milk too, if you’re worried your face might become dry. apply it to clean, dry skin, and let it sit UP TO 20 minutes, tops. rinse with cool water. you can do this every week to every 2 weeks or more.

honey
apply raw, organic honey to clean, wet skin. rub in circular motions for a few minutes. let it sit for 5-10 minutes. rinse with cool water. this can be used every day.

lemon juice
apply lemon juice to acne scars and let sit for 15-20 minutes. rinse with cool water. this can be used every couple days, but can be drying. and be wary of the sun with lemon juice on your skin. it can cause some lightening/discoloration.

MSM
this can be taken both internally & applied externally to help scar tissue regeneration. to take as a supplement, mix 1/2 teaspoon MSM (crystals) into your morning glass of water/juice, OR take the tablets/capsules. to apply externally, find the MSM cream (local health food store or organic store. if all else fails, online!), and use as directed (it’ll most likely come as a moisturizer and you can use it daily in the morning before you put makeup on/at night before you go to sleep.

sweet almond oil 
apply pure sweet almond oil to clean, dry skin once or twice a day. massage for a couple minutes, and allow it time to soak in. you can also use it for the OCM.

tamanu oil
rub pure tamanu oil onto your clean, dry face for 2-3 minutes. then, take a small amount of sugar, and rub that onto your skin on top of the oil for 3-5 minutes. rinse with cool water & done! this can be used every couple days. give the oil a couple hours to soak in after you use it.

tomato juice
blend up 1/4 tomato or less (really just however much you think you’ll need to cover your scars). apply to clean, dry skin. let sit for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with cool water. can be used every day.

tomato/cucumber/milk
blend equal parts of a tomato and cucumber, and add a small splash of milk. apply to clean, dry skin. let sit for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with cool water. can be used 2x a day.

yogurt mask
apply plain, organic yogurt (no other kind) to clean, dry skin. let it sit for 15-20 minutes and rinse with cool water. done! this can be used 2x a day.

———

what do i think are the best? i like MSM cream for topical use every day, fuller’s earth for topical use once a week to once every 2 weeks or more, baking soda scrub once a week, and a weekly honey mask (after scrub). of course that doesn’t mean that’s what will work best for YOU, because everyone is different 🙂 i know i keep saying that, but i always get questions on what people should do and i don’t want to steer anyone in the wrong direction!!

any tried & true natural ways you’ve successfully healed some acne scars? let us in on the secrets!

(i may or may not have sang the ABC’s to myself to organize these remedies…)

**ALWAYS talk to your personal health professional before starting supplements and making drastic diet changes.

natural DIY acne spot treatments

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

I HAVE INTERNET!! WOOHOO!! i can’t believe how long it’s been since i’ve posted for SkinWeek! oh goodness!

as promised, we’re gonna go over all things ACNE!

these are all homemade acne SPOT treatments (all kinds of face masks coming soon!). a lot of you guys have been asking about how to deal with those few breakouts, so i’ve tried to gather as many solutions as i can into one concise post.

you can use any of these every day till your blemish is gone, or you can do one one day, and another the next. find what works best for you!

please do consult your healthcare professional and local certified herbalist and aromatherapist to ensure any herbs and EOs used are okay for you (no contraindications for any ailments). 

raw acv
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. dip a clean q-tip into raw, organ apple cider vinegar (full strength, right outta the bottle). use the acv saturated q-tip to gently rub your blemish. do not rinse (no, you won’t stink).
3. if your blemishes are a little more than a few spots, you can use a cottonball to apply full strength acv to the affected areas. do not rinse.
4. you can use this up to twice a day, but be wary of drying your skin out. start with once a day, before you go to sleep.

raw honey
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. using a q-tip, put a TINY dab of raw, organic honey onto your blemish and gently rub
3. place a bandaid over top of the honey & blemish
4. sleep your blemish away!

aloe vera
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. either use it straight from the plant, or find a pure, organic version. using a cotton ball or q-tip, rub onto blemish
3. no need to rinse, but you can. voila!

turmeric/nutmeg
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. in a small, clean bowl, mix 1 part turmeric powder, 1 part nutmeg, and just enough honey or water to make a paste
3. using a q-tip/cottonball, apply to your blemish

ice  (to reduce redness & promote blood flow)
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. rub an ice cube over your blemish for 3-5 minutes
*we’ll also look into ice facials soon!

banana peel
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. peel a banana, and keep the peel (as for the nanner, you can eat it, make a pancake with it, put it in a smoothie, etc.
3. rub the peel directly onto the blemish for a couple minutes
4. rinse away residue & go about your day/go to sleep

strawberry
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. slice the top off a strawberry, eat the rest, and rub the top (holding the leaves) onto your blemish for a couple minutes
3. you may rinse if you need to. voila!

tea tree oil/jojoba oil
before you even read the directions for this, please keep in mind this contains an essential oil (EO) and must be used with caution!
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. using a q-tip, apply a 50/50 mix of tea tree oil and jojoba oil to blemish
3. leave it on/wear under makeup/etc

witch hazel
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. using a q-tip/cottonball, apply to blemish for a couple minutes
3. you may rinse if you need to. done!

hot water (for when your blemish is about to pop)
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. using a clean washcloth, run under hot water, and wring out the drippies
3. hold the hot washcloth over the blemish for 2-3 minutes
4. in a sliding motion, slide the washcloth off over the blemish. it will take the top layer off, allowing the bacteria to escape, without leaving scars (as with pinching/popping them). you may repeat this process a few times a day (repeat the hold & slide process a few times in a row) to encourage the blemish to purge

lemon juice
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. apply straight lemon juice to your blemish to dry it up
* stay out of the sun if you don’t rinse the lemon juice off. it can lighten skin/irritate it

castor oil
1. clean your face with hot water/washcloth to remove excess residue
2. using a q-tip/cottonball, apply straight castor oil (it’s drying!) to your blemish
3. you may rinse if you’d like. done!

——————————-

as a general rule of thumb, soap should NEVER be used on the face as a daily cleanser. it’s too harsh for delicate facial skin, and can throw your skin out of whack even in one use. as you know, i’m a huge advocate of the OCM, and we’ll be going over another natural way to wash your face soon!

are there any treatments that work wonders for you guys? (please don’t advise products with chemicals, aspirin, rubbing alcohol, etc. we’re here to treat acne and not hurt our skin in the process.)

and 10 points to the reader that knows what tv show i got my main pic from! 😉

natural remedies for under-eye circles & bags

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

welcome back again to SKIN WEEK – day 5!

i don’t know about you, but under-eye circles have a grip on me. i’m one of those lucky ladies that could sleep every day for a year and still have dark circles. it’s really quite unfortunate…

there are tons of under-eye creams out there for circles and bags, but as you know, we’re lookin for the crunchy things here at AE  🙂

the skin around the eyes is so delicate and sensitive! and it seems like everything we do still results in having circles or bags.

so what exactly causes dark circles under our eyes and bags?

• fatigue
• stress
• depression
• age
• nutrient deficiency
• excessive use of drugs/medicines
• genetics. sadly.

with all of these triggering factors (and combinations) we can get desperate for a solution. let’s explore some natural remedies! i’m just going to list some options (it doesn’t mean you have to do all of them, haha).

• add a few drops of vitamin E oil to ice water, and mix the two well. dip cotton balls/pads in this mixture and place on the eyes for 20 minutes. this well help in reducing the swelling around the eyes.
• place 2 cotton pads/balls soaked in cold milk under your eyes for a few minutes. the lactic acid in the milk helps reduce puffiness and darkness.
• place two cotton pads/balls with plain organic yogurt on them (no added sugars or flavors) for 10 minutes. it will help as the milk does.
• beat a few egg whites until stiff and gently apply it around your eyes. leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse your face in cold water.  it’ll make the area around and under the eye feel tighter and look less puffy.
• take 2 slices of fresh refrigerated cucumber and place it on your eyes for 25 minutes. the anti-inflammatory properties of the cool cucumber will naturally help reduce puffiness.
• place two thin lemon slices directly onto your bags or circles (do NOT get the juice in your eyes!!!!). don’t squeeze your eyes tightly but be careful not to open. leave on for 20 minutes, then carefully rinse off with cold water. this will help lighten the dark circles.
• slice a couple small slices from a potato. put each slice under your eyes and leave them under your eyes for 20 minutes. this will help tighten up the puffiness.
• wet two green or chamomile tea bags in cold water and refrigerate them for a while. place them over your eyes for 25-30 minutes. rinse with cool water. the tannin in tea will help reduce puffiness and darkness.
• freeze a couple of spoons over night, or place them in a glass of ice water. rest them on your eyes until they are not cold any longer. this will help reduce puffiness.
• soak two cucumbers in lemon juice for 3-5 minutes in the fridge. careful of the lemon juice, place cucumbers on your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. this will help with dark circles and puffiness.

other helpful tips – 

• switch your sleep position. thanks to gravity, sleeping on your side or stomach can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. and if you’re a side sleeper, you may notice a heavier bag on the side you sleep on. if you wake up with puffy eyes, sleep on your back with an extra pillow under your head.
• apply a moisturizer under your eyes nightly. this can be the same oil you use for the OCM, or straight vitamin E. i really love argan oil and coconut oil for under my eyes!
• make sure you’re getting enough iron & protein
• make sure you’re drinking enough water
• watch your salt intake
• watch your caffeine intake
• don’t sleep in your eye makeup
• don’t smoke

what are you going to try? what do you currently do??

(the dark circles under my eyes in the picture are photoshopped for that dramatic effect, haha)

shaving creams/lotions/gels… diy or buy

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

welcome back to SKIN WEEK – day 4!

many of you have asked about what i do for shaving. well, it’s time to share the knowledge 🙂

let’s be honest – having to shave SUCKS. it takes so long… you can cut yourself… you can get ingrown hairs… you have to keep re-shaving… BLEGH.

but what’s one way to make it suck less? use all-natural shaving creams/lotions/oils! think of it this way – you’re running sharp  blades all over your body. so do you really want chemicals seeping in? absolutely not!

so check these out –

• organic, unrefined coconut oil – you don’t need to “make” anything with this. just apply it plain, shave, and enjoy your silky smoothness! you can always mix some EOs in, too!
• medium to heavy carrier oil – again, not really “making” anything, but it’ll work wonders. try sweet almond oil, sesame oil (which is the best oil for oil pulling, too! double whammy!), or apricot kernel oil. and again, you can add EOs.
• ‘coconut cream’ – my personal combo/made up name! combine 1 part coconut oil, 1 part medium/heavy carrier oil, and a few drops of the EOs of your choice. whip up with hand mixer/stand mixer, and store.
• coconut shaving lotion – mix 1 part organic shampoo, 1 part organic conditioner, and 1/3 part coconut oil. (note- if you choose to use liquid castile soap, dilute to 1/2 part soap, then 1 part conditioner & 1/3 part CO.). whip up and store.

• dr bronner’s leave-in styling cream – it’s an amazing shaving lotion; seriously. and it comes in a pump container, so you just need one tiny pump per leg! shave, rinse, done!
• dr bronner’s shaving gel
• any low-poo/organic conditioner
• garden of eve
• yoreganics

** to clean your razors – every time you shave, rinse with hot water, and lightly brush front & back of razor blades with a soft toothbrush. no more goop; no more dull blades!

i personally either use plain coconut oil (rubbed on before my shower), dr bronner’s leave-in style cream, and my coconut cream. none of them are irritating, nor will they leave your freshly shaven parts in need of moisture. AND they’re completely organic! double score! (and backstory- i originally bought the DB leave-in cream for my hair, but it was just too much for it. i didn’t want to throw it away, so i thought “ehh, it’s just organic cream… let’s try this on my leggies!” and the rest is history!

and honestly everyone, there’s no reason to buy shaving lotion. you can make it so much cheaper and completely customize it to fit what you need/want 🙂

>> if you want to SHAVE LESS, check out my super easy, super yummy, coconut brown sugar body scrub! it’s heavenly!

what will YOU try? what do you currently use??

natural/organic soaps

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

welcome back to SKIN WEEK!

this post, in contrast to yesterday, is all about natural/organic soaps. i know water-only washing isn’t an option for some, and i didn’t wanna leave ya hangin!

this is a SMALL list of the organic/all-natural soaps you can find. there are TONS out there!

liquid soaps

• ancient olive
• dr bronners
• loving naturals
• shea moisture
• 100% pure

bar soaps

• ancient olive
• bare body
• chagrin valley
• creating harmony
• dr bronners
• kiss my face
• opa’s soap
• rocky mountain
• rose of sharon acres
• shea moisture
• soap for goodness
• vegan essentials (links to lots of brands)
• 100% pure (seriously 100% Pure…anytime you wanna let me review products, lemme know!)

as i mentioned, there are TONS of brands of soaps out there that are organic and/or all natural. there are even lots of people that sell their personal creations for more reasonable prices. it’s just a matter of taking a trip down to your local organic store, or checking etsy.  mountain rose herbs has a page for soaps HERE too. as always, just check the ingredients!

and remember that you don’t need to buy the ones in this post online. there are plenty of places (organic stores, some natural grocery stores, etc) that sell them.

you can also make your own bar soap! seriously! i don’t do that, so i won’t be posting about it. if y’all are interested, i can put up a few sources so you can check out the sources.

BUT…i will post THIS…

you need: all-natural bar soap, glycerin, & distilled water. that’s it!

1. grate your natural bar soap till you have 1 cup of soap flakes
2. mix 1 cup soap flakes, 1 tablespoon glycerin, and 8 cups water in a large pot/sauce pan
3. turn the heat to medium/medium-low, and heat it till the soap melts. it’ll only take a couple minutes.
4. let your new liquid soap cool, and put it into a soap dispenser. you can use it for body wash or hand soap.
* you can add carrier and/or EOs to your soap mixes, too! adding a tablespoon of coconut oil would be amazingly moisturizing!

BAM! easy peasy! and CHEEEAAAP!

but that’s not all! … you can also wash with oil!! (“whaaaat?!”)
yep! it’s like the OCM for your body!

why? – this won’t strip your skin of its natural oils. it’s the same principle as the OCM. it’s nourishing and very gentle!

how to:

• mix a carrier oil of your choice with a few drops of EOs of your choice, and put into a squeezy bottle/soap dispenser
• stand under hot water in the shower (keep your hair out of the hot water!) to open your pores and get the extra nasty off you (if there is any)
• grab a washcloth, wet it, and rub your body down
• add a few drops of your oil mix to your washcloth at a time
• wash your body in sections, remembering to add a few drops of your mix to your washcloth between body sections
• you may just rinse off under the water, or rinse your washcloth and use that to help rinse off
• finish off with a cold water rinse
  that’s it! easy and completely customizable!

——–

what a long post! well AE readers… what soaps do you love to use??

(tomorrow will be shaving day… sorry lovelies!)

water-only washing

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

welcome back to SKIN WEEK! day TWO! & yep, you read that title correctly. i’ve ditched my castile soap body wash. i’ve gone more hippie than i ever thought i’d go!

*cue confusion*

first, let’s get one thing straight – I STILL SHOWER! okay. let’s go-

why switch to water-only washing? or at least try?

skin’s ph is normally acidic, ranging in ph values of 4–6, while the body’s internal environment maintains a near-neutral ph (7–9). this creates a steep ph gradient of 2–3 units between the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin, consisting of dead or peeling cells) and underlying epidermis and dermis. the physiologic role of an acidic skin surface is to be a defense mechanism against invading organisms. it has been demonstrated that several key enzymes involved in the synthesis and maintenance of a competent skin barrier are largely impacted by ph. soap cleansers are typically alkaline in nature (ph 10), and have a higher potential to irritate skin (source). [and since we’ll be getting into acne-based subjects later in the week, note this for future reference – acne flourishes well at ph values between 6 and 6.5, and is drastically reduced at ph values less than 6. what does that mean? do. not. use. soap. on. your. face.   OCM, anyone?!] the stratum corneum makes up a very thin, slightly acidic film called the “acid mantle” that is secreted from the skin’s sebaceous (oil) glands.  this is the barrier that prevents unwanted materials (bacteria, viruses, contaminants) from entering, and excessive loss of water from exiting the body. when we wash with soap, the acid mantle is stripped away, leaving the skin and body vulnerable (source). 

*i do NOT have issues with organic soaps. i actually have a slight obsession with buying them that i’m trying to curb…. as in, i currently have 7 bottles of dr bronners liquid castile soaps sitting in my room because those are the ones that haven’t even been used yet. i keep finding them on sale! seriously…

what to do instead:

water-only washing! i already water-only wash my face on the days between the OCM method, so going soap-free for my body wasn’t a big deal to me personally. i knew i’d be okay.

so how do i do it?

• pull my hair up (i do NOT get it wet in the hot water. heat damage is heat damage. doesn’t matter if it’s water or a blow dryer)
• run a pretty warm/hot-ish shower
• let the water run all over my body for a couple minutes (feels so relaxing!). i honestly just spin around very slowly.
• grab my washcloth, wet it, and scrub, scrub every inch of my skin!
• spin around again in the  water
• turn the water to “cool” and rinse off my body, helping to close my pores

…and that’s my shower! very uneventful. & i only wash my hair every 2ish weeks now, so showers are very short and i save lots of water! woohoo!

i think mixing water and some EOs of your choice would be great, too! you’d get the benefits of water washing, with the smell-goods of the EOs. sounds like a WIN in my book!

your skin (as with no-‘poo & the OCM) will need time to normalize and learn to take care of itself.

also, you HAVE to eat properly and get enough water. that drastically impacts your smell. i can tell from my armpits when i’ve strayed from my organic foods or ate a lot of red meat. sorry if that’s tmi. welcome to my blog! haha.

how it’s been so far:

honestly, pinky promise- pretty well!! i don’t stink to high heaven or anything (which i’m sure would be the #1 question if i didn’t explicitly state it, haha).

but, my upper back broke out at first. i’m not sure if that’s because washing up there without a back brush thing is pretty darn difficult to scrub, or what. but with dry brushing and using apple cider vinegar (posting on both for SkinWeek; don’t worry), it’s okay now. i’d say it took about a week and a half for it to get its stuff together. but to me, it was worth it to be able to be even more crunchy than i ever though i’d be!

no, i don’t water-only shave. or dry shave. but i will let you in on my shaving things tomorrow!

i know water-only washing isn’t even remotely an option for some. my matt is a mechanic and there’s no way in the boohockey he could do this. he comes home covered in car grease. but oh, i love a hard workin’ man… 😉 we’ll be talkin about soaps later today!

ok. let’s talk armpits & private parts…SKIP THIS SECTION if it’s TMI!

SERIOUSLY. 

you may totally skip this part, but i know some people are probably wondering how the heck it’s all staying clean and not smelly. i for one scoured for other people’s experiences with these bits and going soap-free. i’m going to assume that if i was worried about it, chances are i’m not the only one. so here goes the TMI section of this post-
i already make my own deodorant, and found i smell AND sweat WAY less than i used to. i give my armpits a twice-over with the washcloth to clean them, and they’ve been okay! promise! if i miss showering one day, i’m not terribly stinky, even in this heat & humidity. okay…. about private parts… i was raised to keep that stuff private. so naturally i’ll tell you about it (if you’re a coworker/family member/etc, stop reading NOW. i order you! haha). i was terrified of how water-only washing was gonna go. absolutely terrified. i alternated every other wash between my castile soap mix and water only, doing that about 3-4 times each before i abandoned soap altogether… and it honestly hasn’t been terrible in the slightest. as every female should know, soaps shouldn’t be down there in the first place (guilty as charged). it’s way too delicate of a place to be stripped down with soaps. i was really paranoid everyone around me would know i’m not using body wash in general, and this one area only magnified my paranoia. but honestly ladies (& guys, too i guess!), it’s fine. everything’s fine and dandy! partner approved! haha. oh goodness. please don’t unfollow my blog now, haha! i did warn you… so Your fault!

TMI OVER! it’s safe to read now…

besides you awesome readers, those that know me personally know my hippie ways all too well. at first some were horrified/disgusted, and others were really genuinely intrigued. either way, by embarking on my crunchy lifestyle, i’ve found that i don’t care what anyone else thinks because i’m doing this for ME and MY health. right? 🙂 they can keep their sulfates & parabens. i’ll keep my water & coconut oil!

generally speaking though, if anyone knocks your crunchy lifestyle, don’t worry. those close-minded people are the ones that have ZERO idea of what they’re really putting on their skin, in their bodies, and the REAL dangers of it all.

anyone out there who’s ditched soap? or tried it for a bit? or even interested? haha. what do you think??

natural lotions (diy or buy)

2021 edit: i no longer subscribe to or support the “all-natural” label. more here.

what better way to kick off SKIN WEEK than to talk about nourishing your skin! (& happy july!)

these lotions/balms/butters/moisturizers are natural and/or organic, therefore completely safe to use! i would usually have a section on why to NOT use store-bought lotions, but i think if you’re reading this, you know who i am and what i stand for. so we’ll do a quick overview of what you do NOT want in your lotions 🙂 yay!

what you DON’T want in your lotion:

• mineral oil/paraffin oil – a by-product of petroleum, to produce gasoline and other products based from crude oil
• petroleum jelly/petrolatum – often contaminated with impurities linked to cancer and other health concerns
• parabens – this is currently a Toxic or Not Tuesday post waiting to be published. short answer, it’s been found to cause reproductive and growth issues, and has (controversially) been found in breast cancer tumor tissue
• fragrance/parfum – this is code for ‘we mixed a cocktail of unknown chemicals to make it smell okay’
• silicones – anything ending in -xane, -zane, -cone, -conol. these prevent your skin from getting moisture
• much, much more… check this list (scroll down past the video… you can mute it haha. there’s a list below.)

and we all know that our skin is our largest organ, and our first line of defense. our skin really has its work cut out for it! we need to care for it as the delicate, yet total badbutt that it is!

• unrefined coconut oil – CO straight outta the jar is an amazing body lotion. probably the best, honestly. and you can add essential oils for your own custom scent! keep in a glass jar at room temp or in the fridge and it’ll keep up to a year or two! for some reason i’m on a rose kick right now, and i recently mixed some of my CO with arabian rose oil. oooo yea! if you keep yours in the fridge and don’t want it to harden like crazy when it’s chilled, whip it! put some in a stand mixer or use a hand mixer, and whip that CO up till it’s fluffy!
• unrefined shea butter – great moisturizer, but not as easily spread. you can whip it up with equal parts CO, *and optionally add a carrier oil and EO of your choice.
• argan oil – you knew that one was coming, haha. pure, organic argan oil is an incredible moisturizer. it’s so darn expensive though. so maybe keep it for your elbows and knees?
• sweet almond oil/jojoba oil – you can use it straight (might leave an oily residue), or you can mix it with it CO (1 part oil, 1 part CO; whip with mixer)
• carrier oil mix – you can essentially make any great lotion by mixing a carrier oil of your choice, beeswax, and any essential oils you like. you can also add vitamin E and/or CO. seriously, it’s so easy and can be VERY personal 🙂 think of the great lotions you could make for dear friends! it’s all about finding what is a perfect fit for you and being healthier
• there are TONS of recipes out there for organic lotions. check out this jack pot of a database for lotions,
  *whichever recipe you choose to use, please store your homemade lotion in a glass jar!
  ** you can buy these at your local organic store, health food store, or online

(in alphabetical order)

• acure ($10/7 oz)
• badger balm ($8/2 oz for balm OR $13/2 oz for daily moisturizer)
• bubble & bee ($17/4 oz
• dr bronners ($10/8 oz)
• kathy’s ($22/8 oz)
• made from earth ($23/8 oz)
• nature’s paradise ($19/9 oz)
• nourish organic ($10/8 oz)
• shea moisture ($10/12 oz)
• sheaberry ($6-$12)
• tropical traditions ($14.50-$16/8 oz)
• zoe natural ($8-$11/4 oz)
• zum body ($7/2 oz; $16.50/8 oz)
• 100% pure ($15/8 oz) as much as i advertise them, i’m thinkin a product review should be offered…yea? 😉
• check etsy (still check out the store owners & ingredients!)
• if you can pronounce all the ingredients and know what they are, chances are it’s okay, and vice-versa. ALWAYS read the ingredients list!!

**if you opt to buy your lotion, check the ingredients and make sure you can’t buy the ingredients and make it yourself for cheaper than what you can buy it for. unfortunately, organic products are sometimes heavily overpriced. the most cost effective is by far a jar of unrefined CO, since you can use it for SO many other things.**

what are some natural/organic lotions that you love?? let’s hear it!